• @Moneo
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    23 hours ago

    Pointing out that the prequels have the slightest hint of an interesting story does not change that they are garbage movies. All you’ve done is summarize the plot in vague terms that are only slightly more vague than the movies themselves. They do not “explore how an opportunistic politician can subvert democracy to create a fascist dictatorship”, they barely even dip their toes in the attempt.

    The prequels do not do an adequate job of establishing why the republic is vulnerable to being hijacked by a fascist dictator. They do not adequately establish how Palpatine is able to seize power. Germany was reeling from WW2 and was thus vulnerable to a charismatic dictator like Hitler. Hitler successfully used the hate and anger of german citiziens, caused by the very real suffering they were experiencing post WW1.

    What the fuck happened in the prequels? There was a trade dispute, whatever that means, (it’s never explained in the slightest), and so Palpatine gets appointed supreme leader or something? No suffering of average people is asserted, no populist rhetoric that gains momentum because of real suffering. Just, there’s a war so we need a supreme leader and it has to be Palpatine.

    The plot is completely nonsensical and I challenge you to outline Palpatines rise to power in detail. Every single character acts like a complete idiot and does nothing as Palpatine blatantly seizes power.

    Not to mention the dog shit dialogue, stiff delivery, boring characters, racist caricatures, and blatant and obnoxious pandering to children.

    The prequels are absolute awful movies in basically every way imaginable. Pretending they are some sort of intellectual piece of work just exposes you as an idiot or someone who hasn’t watched the movies since they were 8 years old.

    Sorry to be a dick but those movies are seriously fucking bad and I have issues.

    • Dragon "Rider"(drag)
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      157 minutes ago

      The Republic’s democracy is not functioning. The senators are corrupt and only care about laws that benefit the 1%. We see the streets of Coruscant outside of the Senate and Temple, and it’s a shithole. There’s rampant poverty and drug use.

      The Trade Federation are a symbol of bourgeois corruption in the minds of the people. The Trade Federation impose unreasonable tariffs and fines on the people, contributing to poverty. That’s what they’re doing to Naboo. The people sympathise with Naboo because Naboo is being oppressed the same way they are. And when Naboo stands up to the bullies, they get blockaded and subject to an illegal invasion.

      The Republic does not have an army, a command structure, or a political mechanism for dealing with war. This is silly, but bear with drag. The Senate has to vote to go to war with the Trade Federation. But the Senators can’t agree on how, and they’d much rather be voting on corrupt issues like giving themselves raises or giving tax breaks to trillionaires.

      Palpatine offers to take over all the messy business of controlling the political wartime strategy. The Senators support this idea because they don’t give a shit and just want the problem to go away. The people support this idea because they’re tired of the Senators never getting anything important done, and the see Naboo as a symbol of their own problems. Palpatine promises to bring the Trade Federation down a few notches and make life easier for everyone.

      Palpatine gains complete control over the Republic’s military policy, and then proceeds to keep the Republic in a forever war that increases poverty and destruction, while promising everyone that the answer to the problem is to just give him more power. Like George Bush.